The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-12-30


lions, for now everybody was sure that
the impressed powder story was false and
absurd had thought so all the timel
Conductor Smith, Of the Rome train, gave
II for the service at once. All was done
soquickly that Murphy saw them start and
had TO run ut his best speed to keep from
being left behindi Fuller probably made
mistake IN not taking the New York, as
the other engine was much inferior, with
small wheels and incapable OF great speed.
But the distance IN which they could use
IL turned out to be short, and being driven
at the height of It's power, 1t IL not proba-
BILE that much was lost; while the time
spent In changing the freight trains out
Of the way might have cost the Ooste-
naula bridge
A mile or more from Kingston they
found some ties on the track at the place
where we cut the wires, and were obliged
to stop and throw them of. OF course an
effort was made to send message from
Kingston TO Chattanooga as soon as Fuller
arrived, but we had cut the wire too quick
for them Continuing ON the way, they
came in few minutes TO the place where
the track had been torn up. A southern
account says sixty yards had been re-
moved; but this is gross exaggeration.
Track lifting was only intended TO make
the road temporarily impossible, and our
broken rail answered this purpose as well
as q dozen. Had there been regular
track layer with the pursuers a rail would
not have caused a great delay, but it WAS
in all cases sufficient for its purpose on
this day.
Though we had heard the whistle of the
pursuers, they neither heard nor saw us at
were on their guard because of the similar
break which had caused their fall from the
hand car, and by great effort and reYers-
ing the engine they were able to prevent
an accident. But their progress seemed
to be completely barred. AS usual no one
but Fuller and Murphy seemed to have
the least idea what to do; in fact during
the whole day every hopeful plan of pur-
suit sprung from their indomitable energy.
Too much credit from the Confederate
point of view cannot be given 10 them.
They were already practiced in foot travel,
and once more set out In that manner; all
the rest, remaining behind, had no further
influence on the fortunes of the day. But
at full speed the two pedestrians pushed
over the slippery and muddy road and
through the driving rain. They felt sure
of finding the freight train, or the passen-
ger, either at Adairsville or further on
this side. Should they be obliged to take
the terribly fatigutn5 run to the station
itself they would probably be too late; but
they were determined to do their utmost.
Notice how all things seemed to work
against us on this eventful day. If we
had not stopped to take up this rail at all,
we would have had abundant time to
| reach the freight and start it south, as we
| did; and the freight train running south,
| and Fuller's train running at full speed
would have produced frightful collision,
which could scarcely have been prevented;
| for the FREE 1ht ran had been ::.duced to
| set oUE by the representations of Andrews
| and Fuller on his part probably believed
| that Andrews was still running on slow
| time and had not reached the station
| above. The stopping to lift this rail, as it
turned out, was probably the greatest
mistake Andrews made. On the other
hand if the freight had waited for Fuller,
| so great delay would have ensued that
| the sOOstenaula bridge, which we were
| now very near. would have been in flames.
But the pursuing pair had scarcely been
| well breathed in this third foot race when
they heard the welcome whistle of loco
motive. Fuller, who was ahead, stopped
| in place where the view was clear, and
gave the signal of danger; the freight was
checked up as quickly as possible, and
while Fuller told in few words what had
happened and what he wanted, Murphy,
who had been distanced, came up, and they
sprang ON board and took command.
With all the power of the Texas, which
was one of the very best engines on the
road, and the best the pursuers had yet
obtained, they pushed backward toward
Adairsville and learned that Andrews
had left q few minutes before. Fuller
took his place on the last freight car, which
was now the front of the train, and directed
their movements. Murphy was the
official superior of all the engineers on the
road. He stood by the lever to render
assistance when needed and all his orders
were cheerfully obeyed.
It was not long till they were back at
the station, when Fuller jumped off, threw
| the switch over to turn the freight cars
| which were detached at the same time
and allowed to run with their own mo-
mentum on the side track; and then as
the last one passed by, he changed the
switch back, sprang on the engine and
outran the cars, which continued to move
parallel with him! This was quick work.
They now had a comparatively small
crew, but they were all armed with guns,
and loaded on the tender and engine alone.
1t was true that the engine was reversed,
but this, while it is somewhat less handy,
does not diminish strength or speed. The
first question which confronted the pur-
suers was whether to risk running up to
Calhoun in the face of the delayed passen
ger train. They did not hesitate, as the
way had been made clear for them. 1t
was less than ten minutes since Andrews
had left, promising to run slowly and
carefully, and if he kept his word, he
could be overhauled and inclosed between
the two trains before he could reach Cal
houn; and even if he did not the danger
of collision would be borne by the train
ahead and not by the following one. The
marvellous fight which Andrews had
made was not, of course, dreamed Of
Had Andrews been able to persuade the
passenger conductor to push out, as he
did the freight conductor, Fuller's and
Murphy's career would have ended.
These indomitable men now had an ex-
cellent engine and ordered full speed
The whole distance of nine miles was
made in little more than ten minutes!
There was no obstruction of any kind, and
they trusted to the fact of being so close
behind Andrews to assure them against
any lifted rail.
I'M